The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 8-18-13

Sunday Post

This will be my 1,000th published post. I’m stunned and amazed. When I started this blog back in April 2011 I had no idea that it would keep going this long, or that it would be so much fun. Or so much fun work.

I’m also grateful that the word count isn’t nearly as easy a statistic to find!

But thank you all for coming along on the journey, and reading any or all of those 1,000 posts. You’re awesome.

Meanwhile, here’s what’s happening…

Lovestruck Blog HopCurrent Giveaways:

Lovestruck Giveaway Hop: $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card – ends 8/20 – just 2 more days to enter!
$50 Amazon Giftcard or 2 $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Cards Tourwide Giveaway from Elise Sax – ends 8/31

Winner Announcements:

Can’t Help Falling in Love by Bella Andre (paperback) won by Carolyn V.
Mist by Susan Krinard (paperback) won by Bre M.

The Ashford Affair by Lauren WilligBlog Recap:

A- Review: The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig
B Review: Baring it All by Megan Frampton
Lovestruck Giveaway Hop
B Review: Matchpoint by Elise Sax
Guest Post by Author Elise Sax on Dreaming Up a Crazy Bunch of Characters + Giveaway
B Review: Storm Force by Susannah Sandlin
Stacking the Shelves (55)

The Love of My (Other) Life by Traci L. SlattonComing Next Week:

The Love of My (Other) Life by Traci L. Slatton (blog tour review, guest post and giveaway)
Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick (review)
A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious by Mary Wine (review)
Shadows of the New Sun: Stories in Honor of Gene Wolfe edited by J.E. Mooney and Bill Fawcett (guest review)
Long Shots 1-3 by Christine d’Abo (review)

Stacking the Shelves (55)

Stacking the Shelves

This was not one of my more restrained weeks. Not. The Carina September list popped up on NetGalley and pretty much everything on the list spoke to me. Not really, but maybe half the list. Along with half my holds at the library coming in.

Maybe when we’re on vacation I’ll make a dent in the TBR pile? But no, we’re going to WorldCon. That will mean MORE BOOKS! Fantastic!

Stacking the Shelves Reading Reality August 17 2013

For Review:
All is Fair (Split Worlds #3) by Emma Newman
Breaking Protocol by Michelle Witvliet
Christmas at the Beach by Wendy Wax
Corroded (St. Croix Chronicles #3) by Karina Cooper
Declan’s Cross (Sharpe & Donovan #3) by Carla Neggers
Fairies in My Fireplace (Monster Haven #3) by R.L. Naquin
Hard As It Gets (Hard Ink #1) by Laura Kaye
Heavy Metal Heart by Nico Rosso
Ice Red (Once Upon a Red World #1) by Jael Wye
If You Were Mine (Sullivans #5) by Bella Andre
Kissing Under the Mistletoe (Sullivans #10) by Bella Andre
Louder Than Love by Jessica Topper
The Secret Lives of Married Women by Elissa Wald
Take Me Home for Christmas (Whiskey Creek #5) by Brenda Novak
The Volatile Amazon (Alliance of the Amazons #4) by Sandy James

Purchased:
Rock Point (Sharpe & Donovan #0.5) by Carla Neggers (free)

Borrowed from the Library:
Entwined with You (Crossfire #3) by Sylvia Day
Heron’s Cove (Sharpe & Donovan #2) by Carla Neggers
Saint’s Gate (Sharpe & Donovan #1) by Carla Neggers
The Thousand Names (Shadow Campaigns #1) by Django Wexler

Did any books in particular “speak” to you this week?

Stacking the Shelves (52)

Stacking the Shelves

It’s summer. It’s kind of hot out, even here in temperate Seattle, to the point where we’re debating between more fans and just breaking down and getting an air conditioner for the bedroom.

But I’m seeing (and getting) not just winter review books from NetGalley and Edelweiss, but books for next Spring! The Revenant of Thraxton Hall has a publication date of March, 2014. I’ll admit to being puzzled. If it’s complete enough for even an eARC, why wait nearly 8 months to publish?

Sometimes, ours is really not to reason why. Just to read and review.

Stacking the Shelves Reading Reality July 27 2013

For Review:
Blind Justice (William Monk #19) by Anne Perry
The Boleyn Deceit (Boleyn Trilogy #2) by Laura Andersen
Choose Your Shot (Long Shots #5) by Christine D’Abo
Dangerous Seduction (Nemesis Unlimited #2) by Zoë Archer
Deadshifted (Edie Spence #4) by Cassie Alexander
Dreams of the Golden Age (Golden Age #2) by Carrie Vaughn
Getting Rowdy (Love Undercover #3) by Lori Foster
Heaven and Hellsbane (Hellsbane #2) by Paige Cuccaro
I Only Have Eyes for You (Sullivans #4) by Bela Andre
Lord of Snow and Ice by Heather Massey
Never Deal with Dragons (DRACIM #1) by Lorenda Christensen
The Revenant of Thraxton Hall by Vaughn Entwistle
Shadow’s Curse (Imnada Brotherhood #2) by Alexa Egan
Soul of Fire (Portals #2) by Laura Anne Gilman

Checked Out from the Library:
Baskerville by John O’Connell

Hot Summer Romance Blog Hop

Hot Summer Romance Blog Hop

Welcome to the Hot Summer Romance Blog Hop, sponsored by the Insatiable Reads Book Tour!

She looks like she’s melting, doesn’t she? She must have just finished a really hot romance! But what kind of romance?

What’s your favorite?

There’s the ever popular “friends into lovers”, but sometimes “enemies into lovers” has a lot more heat.

There’s the tried-and-true “fated mate” syndrome (not one of my personal favorites) but there’s also the arranged marriage and the faked marriage that become real ones.

Sometimes the sex comes first (pun definitely intended) and love happens later. Lessons in seduction can make a terrific (and terrifically hot) story. Of course, there’s also good new-fashioned porn-without-plot, but that’s not romance, it’s just hot in there. Or out there. Or wherever!

Is it hot in here or is it just me?

~~~~~~GIVEAWAY~~~~~~

There are two marvelous grand prizes on this hop:

  • A Kindle Fire
  • A $50 Amazon.com gift certificate

For a chance for the grand prize, leave a comment answering the following question: what is your favorite type of romance book?

I’m also giving away a $10 gift certificate. To enter for my giveaway, use the Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
For more chances to win the grand prizes, visit the other stops on the hop!

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 7-14-13

Sunday Post

If you think you know how to bring about the end of the world, head on over to the Apocalypse Blog Hop and post your nefarious suggestion. One lucky commenter will win a $10 Amazon Gift Card, with which they will hopefully purchase a book or two with a dystopian or post-apocalyptic story.

Maybe the world isn’t exactly coming to an end?

I’m pretty sure that the real overlords, who are of course, our felines, would not let us get out of our petting, scritching and kibble-providing duties so easily by letting us blow up the Earth. Unless they have found better staff on another planet.

They’ll never tell. They just brainwash us with cute.

Cute Kitty Lolcat

apocalypse blog hop earthCurrent Giveaways:

The Apocalypse Blog Hop. I’m giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card, but there are lots of other bookish prizes. check out the post to get the list of hop participants.
The Newcomer by Robyn Carr: 2 print copies of the second book in her terrific Thunder Point series.

Bronze Gods by A.A. AguirreBlog Recap:

A Review: Bronze Gods by A.A. Aguirre
A Review: Conspiracy by Lindsay Buroker
B Review: Down and Out in Beverly Heels by Kathryn Leigh Scott
Guest Post: A Day in the Life of Kathryn Leigh Scott
B+ Review: The Newcomer by Robyn Carr
Guest Post: Excerpt from The Newcomer by Robyn Carr + Giveaway
B Review: A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis by Jillian Stone
Apocalypse Blog Hop

The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter by Jillian StoneComing Up This Week:

From this Moment On by Bella Andre (blog tour review and giveaway)
Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich (blog tour review)
Taking Shots by Toni Aleo (review)
Hot Summer Romance Blog Hop
The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter by Jillian Stone (blog tour review and giveaway)

Don’t forget to enter the Apocalypse Blog Hop before the world ends! And if the world doesn’t end, come back for even more fun in the Hot Summer Romance Blog Hop.

Hot Summer Romance Blog Hop

 

 

Review: The Dragon Healer by Bianca D’Arc

Dragon Healer by Bianca D'ArcFormat read:  ebook provided by the publisher
Formats available: ebook
Genre: Fantasy romance
Series: Dragon Knights #1.5
Length: 63 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Date Released: July 2, 2013
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

What’s better than a knight sweeping you off your feet? Two knights.

Silla is a healer riding circuit on the border, helping those in need. When she hears the pained cries of a dragon in distress, she comes to his aid, using most of her precious supplies to help the badly injured creature.

The dragon’s knight, Brodie, is fascinated by the woman – the miracle worker – who has come to help his friend. She is both beautiful and kind hearted and he quickly realizes she is his destined mate. And if she is Brodie’s mate, she is Geoff’s as well, for Brodie’s dragon was mated to Geoff’s dragon many years ago.

Geoff doesn’t believe in the tales of love at first sight among knights, but he knows that when either he or Brodie finds a wife, they will share her. Hearing about the dragon’s injury, Geoff and his dragon race to help, only to find the dragon on the mend and Brodie in bed with the most stunning woman Geoff has ever seen.

Love at first sight turns out to be real and it strikes them all as they come together and realize that no matter what the obstacles, they are meant to be together. Silla is the missing link that will join their lives and make them a true Lair family.

My Review:

Silla is a journeyman healer. Her life is on the road. She hopes that in another five years she will have accumulated enough experience credit with the healer’s guild to allow her to return to the city to practice her craft in a little more comfort than the wagon she currently drives around the countryside.

Fate has other plans.

At her next stop, she finds herself treating an injured dragon instead of her more usual human patient. It doesn’t matter to her, the dragon needs healing and she is a healer. She works through the night, using up most of her supply of healing herbs, to bring ease to the wounded creature. Working with her is the dragon’s knight, Brodie, helping her at every step to save his companion.

As they strive together, Brodie becomes certain that Silla is his destined mate. She is not only healing his friend, she is talking with him, soothing him. That mind-talk is the sign of a woman who is born to be part of a lair.

Silla may be more than willing to heal the dragon, but she doesn’t trust Brodie, or any other man. She’s been down that road before, and it only ended in pain. But after a night working beside him, watching him with the dragon, she feels like she deserves something for herself, just once.

Once the dragon is out of danger, Silla and Brodie spend what remains of the night together. And wake to find another man in the room.

Geoff is the knight to Brodie’s dragon Phelan’s mate. If Brodie has found a mate, then their dragons can mate again. Only the dragons of mated knights can mate. Brodie and Geoff’s dragons have been waiting for decades.

But Silla, who thought to indulge herself for a night and then be on her way, is suddenly faced with the choice of lifetime. Should she leave her life behind and go with Brodie and Geoff to the lair? Can she trust them? Can she love them? Can they love her? Should she try?

Can she make a better life for herself this time?

Maiden Flight by Bianca D'ArcEscape Rating B-: This story was more of a single piece than Maiden Flight, but it was very short. Also, I was disappointed because I wanted the next story to be Adora and Jaden’s story and this wasn’t. (That story turned out to be in Border Lair reviewed here.)

I liked Silla better than Belora in Maiden Flight (see review for details). She was more in control of her own life. She’d initially made a bad choice, but after a lot of hard times, had dusted herself and made a new life for herself. It made it difficult for her to trust Brodie or her own decisions about men, but that wasn’t unreasonable under the circumstances.

However, because Silla was so distrusting of men, it was kind of surprising that she would be willing to change so easily from a completely celibate life to a menage. Brodie was her first foray back into sexuality in a very long time. While it was much more successful (and hot!) than anything in her previous experience, she accepts the drastic change in her life incredibly easily.

 

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 6-30-13

Sunday Post

In honor of this Sunday’s Post falling on the last day of the month, we bring you an oldie, but a very, very goodie…

Another Month Ends: 

     All Targets Met
     All Systems Working
     All Customers Satisfied
     All Staff Eager and Enthusiastic
     All Pigs Fed and Ready to Fly

I’m still at the American Library Association Conference in Chicago, so we’ll move right into this week’s recap and preview of coming events.

Winner Announcement:

Doctor Who Who-ology by Mark CavanThe winner of the $10 Amazon Gift Card in the SFR Brigade 2nd Midsummer Blog Hop is Misty Rios. For the complete list of Grand Prize Winners check out the SFR Brigade.

Current Giveaway:

Winner’s Choice of Doctor Who: Ten Little Aliens by Stephen Cole (First Doctor) or Festival of Death by Jonathan Morris (Fourth Doctor) or Who-ology. BBC Books is shipping this one internationally.

Assassin's Gambit by Amy RabyBlog Recap:

B Review: The Tower by Jean Johnson
B Review: The Seduction of Esther by Jennifer Wilck + Tourwide Giveaway
B Review: Shadow People by James Swain
B- Review: Doctor Who: Ten Little Aliens by Stephen Cole + Giveaway
A- Review: Assassin’s Gambit by Amy Raby
Bewitching Book Tours Sizzling Summer Giveaway
Calling All Real-Life Heroines! Harlequin’s More Than Words Awards 2014

Garden of Stones by Mark BarnesComing Up This Week:

Along the Watchtower by David Litwack (blog tour review and giveaway)
The Garden of Stones by Mark Barnes (review)
A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare (review)
The Dragon Healer by Bianca D’Arc (review)

 

Stacking the Shelves (45)

Stacking the Shelves

One of the books in this week’s stack (The Spook Lights Affair) is not scheduled to be published until December! I’m not sure whether to be delighted to have so much time to get a round tuit, or appalled that the year is passing by so quickly. <groan>

GIMP Wilber mascotOn another topic, someone asked how I make the graphic of all the book covers. I use GIMP, an open-source graphics program that is available free and supposed to be every bit as powerful as Photoshop. GIMP certainly does everything I need it to. (If you decide to use GIMP, it’s good karma to support the project.)

Photographing the actual books isn’t an option, almost all my books are in the key of “e”.  Only the library book is a print book, and I’m not allowed to keep it more than three weeks.

If I got this many print books every week, our apartment would have sunk down into the one below by now! 😉

Stacking the Shelves Reading Reality May 18 2013

For Review:
Allegiance (River of Souls #3) by Beth Bernobich
Bite Me (London Undead #1) by P.J. Schnyder
The Bones of Paris by Laurie R. King
A Clockwork Heart (Chronicles of Light and Shadow #2) by Liesel Schwarz
Hold Me Down Hard by Cathryn Fox
Just What He Wanted (Holloway #4) by HelenKay Dimon
The League of Illusion: Destiny (League of Illusion #3) by Vivi Anna
Opposing Forces (Private Protectors #5) by Adrienne Giordano
The Spook Lights Affair (Carpenter and Quincannon) by Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini
Star Trek FAQ 2.0 by Mark Clark
Texas Hold ‘Em (Smokin’ ACES #1) by Kay David
The Trouble With Being a Duke (At the Kingsborough Ball #1) by Sophie Barnes
What the Bride Wore (Bridal Favors #3) by Jade Lee
Wicked Beat (Sinners on Tour #4) by Olivia Cunning
Winning a Bride (Bridal Favors #2.5) by Jade Lee

Purchased:
Dating a Silver Fox (Never Too Late #5) by Donna McDonald
The Demon of Synar (Forced to Serve #1) by Donna McDonald

Borrowed from the Library:
The Cursed (League of the Black Swan #1) by Alyssa Day

Stacking the Shelves (43)

Stacking the Shelves

I cut the stack off at 24 and move to the next list. I’m not sure what that says about what except that after 24, the picture gets WAY too big.

Books Cats Edward GoreyEspecially when it comes to books, too much of a good thing is wonderful. I read about half of what I get. I like to have choices. Somedays I feel like a romance. sometimes I feel like reading an urban fantasy. It used to be that I’d pick from a pile of books. Now I check my iPad and my list of potential review books. Same principle.

Edward Gorey was right. “Books, Cats, Life is Good.”

Stacking the Shelves Reading Reality May 4 2013

For Review:
Against the Wind (Agents of the Crown #2) by Regan Walker
Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich
Bite Me, Your Grace (Bite Me, Your Grace #1) by Brooklyn Ann
The Dark Water by David Pirie
The Final Sacrament (Clarenceux #3) by James Forrester
Femme Fatale (Hard Bodies #1) by Cindy Dees
Master at Arms (Dragon Knights #2.5) by Bianca D’Arc
Matchpoint (Matchmaker #2) by Elise Sax
Maxie (Triple X #2) by Kimberly Dean
The Night is Watching (Krewe of Hunters #9) by Heather Graham
The Red Plague Affair (Bannon & Clare #2) by Lilith Saintcrow
Relatively Risky (The Big Uneasy #1) by Pauline Baird Jones
Shapeshifted (Edie Spence #3) by Cassie Alexander
South of Surrender (Hearts of the Anemoi #3) by Laura Kaye
A Spy to Die For (Assassins Guild #2) by Kris DeLake
Sweet Revenge (Nemesis Unlimited #1) by Zoe Archer
Wife in Name Only by Hayson Manning
The World’s Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagarne

Purchased:
Lord of Devil Isle by Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe

Borrowed from the Library:
Assassin’s Gambit (Hearts and Thrones #1) by Amy Raby
Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers
The Eyes of God (Bronze Knight #1) by John Marco
Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer
The Sword of Angels (Bronze Knight #3) by John Marco

Stacking the Shelves (42)

Stacking the Shelves

Another two-week sized stack. I have not been a good girl.

On the other hand, I keep giving in to the temptation that is the Macmillan/Tor whitelist on Edelweiss. I’ll confess to a not-so-hidden agenda, I’m hoping that Galen will borrow my Kindle and guest-review a couple of these for me.

But maybe I’ll keep all the goodies for myself. We’ll see.

Stacking the Shelves April 27 Reading Reality

For Review:
After Hours by Cara McKenna (review)
Burning the Page by Jason Merkoski
A Captain and a Corset (Steam Guardians #2) by Mary Wine
Carniepunk by Rachel Caine, Jennifer Estep, Kevin Hearne, Seanan McGuire, Rob Thurman, Delilah S. Dawson, Kelly Gay, Mark Henry
The Deepest Night (Sweetest Dark #2) by Shana Abé
The Exodus Towers (Dire Earth Cycle #2) by Jason M. Hough
The Goliath Stone by Larry Niven and Matthew Joseph Harrington
The Incrementalists by Steven Brust and Skyler White
The One-Eyed Man by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
A Question of Honor (Bess Crawford #5) by Charles Todd
The Right Bride (Hunted #3) by Jennifer Ryan
The Testing (Testing #1) by Joelle Charbonneau
The Testing Guide (Testing #0.5) by Joelle Charbonneau
Thieves’ Quarry (Thieftaker Chronicles #2) by D.B. Jackson
Two Serpents Rise (Three Parts Dead #2) by Max Gladstone
Werewolves by Damned (Magic & Mayhem #1) by Stacey Kennedy (review)
The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood
The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani

Purchased:
The Duchess War (Brothers Sinister #1) by Courtney Milan
The Governess Affair (Brothers Sinister #0.5) by Courtney Milan
A Kiss for Midwinter (Brothers Sinister #1.5) by Courtney Milan
Midnight in Your Arms by Morgan Kelly
Out of the Past (Heritage Time Travel #1) by Dana Roquet

Borrowed from the Library:
Wild Invitation (Psy-Changeling #0.5,#3.5,#9.5,#10.5) by Nalini Singh